Two Creative Arts Emmys for Thrones

The Emmys before the Emmys took place last Sunday with the dishing out of the awards in the Creative Arts categories, the so-called technical Emmys.

Chalk up two for GoT! One for non-prosthetic makeup, and another for outstanding special visual effects. Sadly, nothing for Diana Rigg as guest actress. The full list can be found here.

The big Primetime Emmy night (65th in a row) is going to be this Sunday, broadcast live from LA. Stay tuned.

Hear Me Roar: Frankly, I expected one or two more, if only for the sheer number of nominations. Only one comment remaining: there would be riots in the streets right now had the Thrones production not won in the VFX category.

Edit: Yeah just thought, if we got stiffed for one of 2 awards this time… let’s hope Thrones doesn’t get stiffed on the real Emmy’s. (Not holding my breath bwahaha) to quote Matthew from Newsradio, “I have been working here for 3 years, and I have been THRICE shafted, let me tell you it does not feel very good”.

Two is too few, but sadly these will be the only ones they get this year. Breaking Bad wins drama, Mandy Parinkin wins supporting actor while Anna Gunn wins supporting actress. Drama writing will go to Homeland or one of Breaking Bad’s two episodes nominated.

To be honest, it’s good GoT won emmys and keep winning emmys, but I don’t really give a damn about it. Emmys are not so important. Yeah, winning an emmy is good because you have some kind of recognition for your work, but being nominated is already a great thing !
Moreover, the emmys ignored great shows in the past, just to give an example “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”, who was maybe nominated for five or six during seven seasons but never won one ! But still, the show is amazing, and is even more popular today than it was in 1997-2003.
So, yeah, to me the emmys are not essential… I don’t care since they are not proof that a show is really great. At least, in my opinion. :)

I also think Breaking Bad will win (and they’d deserve it). Btw, a quick look on Wikipedia tells me that Buffy has never been nominated for a main award (apart from an “Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series” nomination 2000). “Buffy” is far from being crap, but it’s definetely not among the shows worthy of winning an “Outstanding Drama Series”-Emmy.

I’m afraid GOT will allways have problems winning “best drama” due to the fantasy tag, though I hope I’ll be proven wrong at some point. It just seems like many people more easily relate to shows like “Homeland” on a personel level, as the themes there appear more obviously related to their own lifes. To me GOT actually has more realistic dialogue in many ways than the likes of Homeland, Dexter, all the CSI-clones etc, and hence is more realistic drama than any of those…

PS: I just watched the 1st series of Under the Dome, directed by Spielberg and Stephen King (on whose book the story was based). Frankly, I couldn’t believe how poor the dialogue and the story were! If that’s the level hollywood is going for these days (which is the case, based on the intellectuel poverty in recent years in big-budget movies), I’m gonna cherrish the next seasons of GOT even more.

Agree. It makes me dismissive of these awards. For The Wire to have been ignored…a disgrace.

Breaking Bad has a lot of momentum…and deservedly so. I think that Homeland is a serious contender for Best Drama despite an inconsistent second season because Emmy voters are creatures of habit. And House of Cards is certainly going to get votes.

GOT is my favorite but there are a lot of great dramas on TV right now.

Ser Tahu: For the primetime Emmy’s I am expecting the following outcome for Game of Thrones:Supporting actor:Peter Dinklage loses to Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad)

Supporting actress:Emilia Clarke pulls off a surprise win (simply because the nominated episode is ‘And Now His Watch Is Ended’, and she was brilliant in that episode)

Best drama:Game of Thrones loses to Breaking Bad

I think your predictions are right on the money. Except replace Jonathan Banks with Aaron Paul. Even though I think Banks deserves it more. In season 4 Giancarlo Esposito lost to Aaron Paul even though he had the stronger season

Tar Kidho: PS: I just watched the 1st series of Under the Dome, directed by Spielberg and Stephen King (on whose book the story was based). Frankly, I couldn’t believe how poor the dialogue and the story were! If that’s the level hollywood is going for these days (which is the case, based on the intellectuel poverty in recent years in big-budget movies), I’m gonna cherrish the next seasons of GOT even more.

I’m glad you mentioned it. “Under the Dome” makes a mockery of it’s parent book….it’s a complete rewrite and a joke. The book was almost a downright classic, with environmental and political statements as well as some Shakespearean tones at the end (w/Big Jim Rennie’s demise…almost “King Lear”ish). I totally recommend the book, not the show. That situation makes me even more thankful that we’re getting such a decent translation and interpretation of ASoI&F for GoT. Sooo thankful!

Back on the topic: Hooray for the continued recognition that GoT is getting!

Best Drama Writing is almost certainly going to the Homeland episode “Q&A,” which many consider to be the finest episode of the series, and was also written by the recently deceased Henry Bromell. There’s a huge sentimentality factor on his side and it doesn’t hurt that it’s possibly the strongest written episode in contention, and in Emmy’s current favorite show.

Supporting Actor is probably between Aaron Paul and Mandy Patinkin. Much of this depends which series they favor this year. Homeland had a bit of drop in quality while Breaking Bad is only getting more popular; either series could be this year’s Best Drama Winner. But even if Breaking Bad wins the big prize, Patinkin could still win, as he’s unrewarded and Paul already has two. Patinkin had more to do on his show this year than Paul. Dinklage still has an outside shot, as he had a very strong submission episode. Emmy voters can be hard to predict.

Maggie Smith is still the frontrunner for Supporting Actress, outside shot for Anna Gunn if there’s a Breaking Bad surge. Emilia Clarke only has 8 minutes of screentime in her episode, although she has a couple big moments.

That’s what worries me most – if the book was so good, then why the dumbed-down version for tv? (if I hear the words “deep down I guess I knew something was wrong but I just didn’t want to believe it” once more I’m gonna need a new tv I’m afraid – and the show is full of those cliche sayings that are repeated in everything coming out of Hollywood these days)

But yeah, back on topic now: I’m not sure how I would feel about a win for Emilia Clarke. In a way I’ll be happy because garnering an award is always a happy event, a sign of recognition. At the same time though that little voice inside me will say “out of all the actresses (and actors) on the show, I would never pick Emilia as the strongest performer, so why does *she* get that award instead of them…” Half of the award goes to the role she plays and three little dragons in my opinion. But yeah, personal preferences and all that – if she gets the award it must mean she deserved it. Go Emilia!

Hey people, just heard (read) some news GoT related, according to an official source from the Sitges International Film Festival, a festival mainly dedicated to horror/fantasy etc they will screen some yet unseen episodes from GoT (and The Walking Dead). I’m speculating it could be the original pilot? Some kind of hoax? here’s the link to the facebook news:

I really believe Game Of Thrones had the best season out of any of the nominated shows. Breaking Bad’s season 5A was not it’s best, IMO. Seasons 2,3,4, and 5B were all stronger. I suppose the thinking is that the show is overdue and the voters may know they screwed up by not awarding the show last year for a stellar season 4 and will look to atone for their mistake. Which is unfortunate, as this is likely GOT’s best chance to ever win. A win for Homeland would completely invalidate any significance the award has.

Pau Soriano:
Hey people, just heard (read) some news GoT related, according to an official source from the Sitges International Film Festival, a festival mainly dedicated to horror/fantasy etc they will screen some yet unseen episodes from GoT (and The Walking Dead). I’m speculating it could be the original pilot? Some kind of hoax? here’s the link to the facebook news:

Chances aren’t big, and I hate that because even though season 4 will clearly top it, it will be pit against a ton of quality shows, namely BB’s last season and even though I’ve never watched it people are saying it is easily the best show on TV. And after that, season 5 will surely not win an Emmy and season 6 is a complete mystery assuming it will lean on TWOW material at the very least in its second half… It feels like this is Thrones’ only chance, and it’s a shame that the chance is so small :(

Doesn’t look like it, as they talk about “unseen episode” but could be a mistake,as they’re quoting the festival director, but not his exact words…

EDIT: I’m trying to find a quote of his exact words but on another newspage I see he talks about The Walking Dead Season 4 premier, and about “unseen material from the upcoming seasons of GoT and Bates Motel”. So definitelly a mistake

Jentario, again, seriously? they are shooting a 70-million dollars show and can’t afford buying a song for, like, 3 dollars or so? there’s something more than that … something they won’t like us to reveal…

Loki:Jentario, again, seriously? they are shooting a 70-million dollars show and can’t afford buying a song for, like, 3 dollars or so? there’s something more than that … something they won’t like us to reveal…

I feel like this is going to be the year for House of Cards as Best Drama goes. With GoT the show’s best chance at a major win is best writing for The Rains of Castamere, and perhaps Emilia Clarke will win too.

But the Emmys are famous for making people who try to predict them look stupid, so we’ll see. I’d love to see GoT win this year. As Martin points out, though S4 might be the peak of the show, it will be competing against the amazing final episodes of Breaking Bad which are currently airing, which should and will be unstoppable.

Thanks for the Emmy’s List link, Hear Me Roar.
I don’t watch most of the shows nominated, but I’m not surprised about
Diana Rigg’s loss. I was a bit disappointed with actress Jane Fonda
voted out, but my bias means nothing since I haven’t viewed all the
competing actresses in that category. Fonda will definitely be a contender
, next year. Since the category or win list is incomplete at present, we’ll
learn more later , with respects to leading actor/ actress in the cable series award.
I hope Emilia Clarke puts up a string ballot showing. Really wish Dan Hildebrand
got the guest cast nod for GoT.

The one that continues to baffle me is how GoT doesn’t win for casting. Everyone is pretty much perfect, down to the smallest guest actor.

And a bit off-topic, but it’s related to awards season/discussion – the show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (who’s creators are huge GoT fans) had an absolutely perfect episode this week about why they never win awards. It’s one of the funniest comedies out there, and it’s a shame they don’t even get nominated for anything.

Everyone assumes Breaking Bad will win this year and next year. Just as they assumed it would win last year(which it should have). But if it doesn’t win this year, then why should we expect the voters to finally reward it when they didn’t the first 5 times it was eligible? Maybe they just aren’t willing to give the award to a show as dark as BB and GOT?

OT: The more I see of Pedro Pascal, the more I like him.
He’s definitely growing on me.
I’m sure he’ll make a GREAT Viper, he has the look of it and D&D said that he was very impressive during his audition.

It still astonishes me that GoT has not won for casting. I know House of Cards got big names involved, but every actor on GoT has been phenomenal no matter how small the role. It should have beaten Homeland last season too (and I’m a fan of Homeland).

Here’s how I feel. I really want Vincin Gilligan to win an Emmy for Breaking Bad. I agree that season 5A was not its strongest and that 5B is fucking awesome (so far). I’m just worried that it might be forgotten come Emmy time on 2014 since there will be no new episodes. So I would rather him win for a weaker season then not win at all. But I will also be perfectly happy with a GoT win. I don’t watch Honeland or House of Cards so I can’t comment on those. Downton Abbey is ok but nowhere near my favorite and Mad Men is a very very good show. But I find myself not really caring about it when I’m bit watching it.

However, I can almost see GoT pulling out a surprise win in Drama. (Very surprising). And winning nothing else. It’s weird but it happened with Mad Men a couple years back.

Writing will go to Homeland
Supporting actress should go to Anna Gunn but will probably go to Maggie Smith
Supporting actor- yeah, I have no clue. I could see anyone winning. But Peter is pretty low on the list.

Honestly though, I am a huge fan of the show and its actors, but Emilia should have never been nominated. There are actresses far more deserving of an Emmy nod or even nom.

If she wins, the Emmy’s are officially no longer an award show that rewards talent, but simply mediocrity and popularity. I know they aren’t at this point, but Emilia really isn’t deserving of this award.

Agree completely with the ‘Under the Dome’ comment. That show’s a joke. The acting is laughable.

But, you know what? Under the Dome has been the #1 or #2 rated show every week(in terms of number of watchers)that it was on. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? I quess people simply were sick of reruns and wanted to watch something new no matter how mediocre it might have been. Too bad Game of Thrones can only be on 10 weeks a year. :(

sherry: But, you know what? Under the Dome has been the #1 or #2 rated show every week(in terms of number of watchers)that it was on. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? I quess people simply were sick of reruns and wanted to watch something new no matter how mediocre it might have been. Too bad Game of Thrones can only be on 10 weeks a year. :(

Two and a Half Men has been both nominated and won Emmys. Battlestar Galactica and The Wire were never nominated. John Noble will never get a nomination for Fringe. The Emmys credibility ship set sail ages ago.

Boy you hate Emilia Clarke! I thought she was serviceable in season 1 and faltering in season 2 but starting to fit into the role this season. I don’t think she deserved a nomination for this season, especially over Fairley, Dormer, Headey or Maisie Williams but I think she is improving as an actress. She’s also a great ambassador for the series. For me Dany’s coming into her own parallels well with Ms. Clarke’s growing adeptness with thespianisn.

If Clarke does win the Emmy, then the optimist in me will chalk it up to the academy members being like minded with the critics and viewers who thought she brought her A game. The cynical side of me will feel that it might be a bid at cultural relevancy for the Emmys.

In addition, I want Breaking Bad to succeed a the Emmys this year and yes, even next year when GoT has the most chances at winning. I love me some ASOIAF and GoT, but as a film/television connoisseur, deep down I know that this show doesn’t seem concerned with grasping for the excellence of Breaking Bad and other calibre dramas. There is, despite the many moments of brilliance, a sense of unevenness that pervades the series. A symptom of a popular, expensive series that is trying to give props to each of its respective demographics but has yet to find its equilibrium.

So I watched the first three episodes of House Of Cards last night (I bought it on DVD) It’s good, but I definitely don’t think it was worthy enough to boot Boardwalk Empire out of the Best Drama Category at the Emmy’s. With that said, I don’t think it worthy enough to beat any of the drama’s it’s up against, so if it does, I’ll be very disappointed.

Something about it I really can’t stand: that Talking into the camera stuff. I’ve never liked this kind of film making device. When I watch something, I want to be a spectator, I don’t want to be part of it, and when you look right at me and talk to me, it’s like you’re trying to make me a part of it. I don’t know, I can’t explain why I don’t like when a show character looks me in the eye and talks to me it, I just don’t, never have. And that aspect of House of Cards put me off of it.

Yeah but the people who are members of the Academy of Television Arts and sciences are not put off by such things as Breaking the Fourth Wall. It’s a Bertolt Brecht conceit that made its way to the British original series and translated to the American version. As such it brings a heightened theatrical element to the proceedings. It’s not a mistake on the show’s part. They went with the talking to the audience not caring that some would be put off. The second half of the season is much stronger and less theatrical with Corey Stoll’s Peter Russo stealing the show.

Which reminds me. I wonder if D and D want Littlefinger to come off as more theatrical than other characters in the series?

I will continue watching it, and I do like it. I just don’t think it’s better than BB, GoT or even Boardwalk Empire for that matter.

My hope is that GoT wins best drama this year, and Breaking Bad is finally rewarded next year. BB has so much momentum right now though, the voters might confuse this current season on TV right now with what they’re actually voting for. I don’t know why they haven’t rewarded it yet, maybe that fact is the reason they’ll wait until next year when it’s all over. Other wise, if it wins this year, it will probably win again next year. It certainly deserves it. and they can’t deny it much longer, just because they don’t like the subject matter, that’s ridicules. it’s brilliant.

I’ve seen some critics polls and there does seem to be a split, about 2 to 1, For Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones in best drama. I don’t see any other show picked though. Nobody has picked any other program to win, it’s either BB or GoT, so I still think that it’s between those two and no other.

BTW, depending on what browser I use my name here changes (I jump between firefox and chrome). So there is no confusion, sometimes I am just Anne, sometimes metalgoddessamb.

But…..the two leads do not work at all in my opinion. Kelly McDonald is a good actress but she seems to be the “what was life like for women in those days” cypher and Buscemi who I love as an actor is miscast in this show. A common complaint I know, but with all the awesome stuff going on in the series, their scenes just sit there. At least last season, Nucky was thrown into the main storyline, but they need someone with a bit more bite in the role in my opinion. Too bad Spacey couldnt have been Nucky Thompson! Or Jason Isaacs who was stellar in Brotherhood.
I enjoy the show immensely but it could be a million times better.

Buscemi works for me. granted, it doesn’t look like a leading man, but he still works for me. and two episodes in this 4th season, and not a sign of Margaret. So maybe the producers figured that out. I think it is moving towards what it really is: A Gangsters of the 1930’s show, not a show just about Atlantic City or just Nucky Thompson. and I like that, A LOT.

Two and a Half Men has been both nominated and won Emmys. Battlestar Galactica and The Wire were never nominated. John Noble will never get a nomination for Fringe. The Emmys credibility ship set sail ages ago.

Boy you hate Emilia Clarke!I thought she was serviceable in season 1 and faltering in season 2 but starting to fit into the role this season. I don’t think she deserved a nomination for this season, especially over Fairley, Dormer, Headey or Maisie Williamsbut I think she is improving as an actress. She’s also a great ambassador for the series. For me Dany’s coming into her own parallels well with Ms. Clarke’s growing adeptness withthespianisn.

If Clarke does win the Emmy, then the optimist in me will chalk it up to the academy members being like minded with the critics and viewers who thought she brought her A game. The cynical side of me will feel that it might be a bid at cultural relevancy for the Emmys.

In addition, I want Breaking Bad to succeed a the Emmys this year and yes, even next year when GoT has the most chances at winning. I love me some ASOIAF and GoT, but as a film/television connoisseur, deep down I know that this show doesn’t seem concerned with grasping for the excellence of Breaking Bad and othercalibre dramas. There is, despite the many moments of brilliance, a sense of unevenness that pervades the series. A symptom of a popular, expensive series that is trying to give props to each of its respective demographics but has yet to find its equilibrium.

I agree with your summation, Joshua, a nod to your astute insight on the subject.
And looking at GoT in the perspective you lent, away from the critique of the incongruent
detail or brilliant moment, there remains an imbalance that insist on equilibrium, as a whole. However I ‘m doubtful that much of this ( or all ) , pertains to the production’s
hope to sway all it’s demographic ( audience ). There remains the perception
that the executive producers, whom supervise the creative content, hope to depict
ASOIAF in a way that satisfies their intent as well. Game of Thrones is at best,
a story unfolding or molded as Benioff & Weiss understands it, which may
slightly deviate from, or revise the original content. Something any adaptive
cinematic series ought to do, for fresh concepts. The gamble is, sometimes this works,
and some times it fumbles. My hope is that there is a learning curve, for the
series, with each season growing in momentum, and equilibrium. A measured
or qualitative success. Let’s hope the pragmatic interpretation proves good or
excellent, in the seasons to come. Only then, BTW, will I closely scrutinize Headey
or Costa-Waldau, for their respective performances. I think Clarke is holding her
own, for now. Though Kip Harrington has to either get a better script or improve
his performance. Shame that Fairley or Hildebrand didn’t get recognition this year.

Accolades have recognised the merits of their efforts, despite the strong
contenders like Vince Gilligan’s BB production. Next year’s network lineup
may change the landscape altogether. With the exception of the second half of
Breaking Bad’s likely nomination, the competition may be weaker…… or not.
We’ll see.

They’re fine, and suitable given the confines of their stories, and the script which
is written to their individual strengths. I enjoy them both, with respects to the overall
Lannister contribution, although I confess a bias towards Tyrion and Tywin’s onscreen
performances. That noted, I really did not appreciate Jaime or Cersei Lannister
until later volumes of ASOIAF. I am looking forward to the onscreen presentations
of each, for that phase, although I caution myself for expecting key co-playersJaime’s aunt or lady Merryweather , that I’d hope for inclusion. Jaime
will get to his redemption phase, as Benioff & Weiss sees it, primarily as a
love story with Brienne, but I secretly hold out for a more in-depth perspective.
And really, I’m in no need to rush things, but Cersei’s future
machinations are enough to leave my jaw agape. These are
only taste of how much more challenging their respective
performances would be challenged or rated award worthy,IMO.

Altin and Dempsie are together because they’re filming another project called “New Worlds,” not GoT. The tweet isn’t really specific, it’s just a generic comment that is secondhand. “Season 4 is gonna be awesome, they said.” We know Altin’s working on S4 quite a bit. And he’s a talker. Dempsie hasn’t been sighted in Belfast at all so far, but that’s not a guarantee, of course. So I guess we’ll see.

If Clarke was challenged by Laura Linney, then you have a point. If Anna Gunn
was her challenger, there’s no way Clarke could or should have taken away the
award. I really like Claire Danes’s character too, for that possibility, Emilia
could have edged passed, to gain enough winning ballots. I really hope that
the Emmy committee finds a balance, next year, to appropriate character
growth and rising talent, that Emilia continues to prove, over the singularity
that describe Danes.

Teresa:
Well, so much for my prediction for the Best Drama win. From now on, I’ll just be happy and content with any nominations they can get.

(Very surprised by Diana Rigg not winning.)

(And Bobby Cannavale, really?)

Have you ever viewed the show that won, ” The Good Wife ” ? No ? Neither have I.

I had no opinion for that category as I was only familiar with Riggs and Fonda.
For them both, they were both good, however never rose above the script, or in
any way challenged previous performances they’d each acted from previous
projects, respectively.

Some actors are so good, they could sleep walk through their roles. Ever watch
Jeremy Irons in his onscreen pope role , for the Borgias ? He’s a great talent,
otherwise.

Total bull!!! About the Emmys! I watch a quite a few of these shows, but come on!!! I’m 23, and I started reading the books when I was about 11 years old. Stupid politics. Game of Thrones owned this year, seriously how could it not win for best drama series, and best writing. The red wedding or rains of castamere… seriously best moment of T.V ever. I’m so upset. That was amazing. Even though I cried when I read it years ago, I watched the episode so many times and I finally stopped crying after watching it.. well a lot. Seriously though Emilia Clarke should have won for sure, learning a made up language. As well as the powerful performance… poo on you emmys poo on you.